Jack Heath is the best-selling author of more than 20 action-packed books for kids aged 6-14. He fell in love with books in primary school, when an ear infection left him unable to do much other than read. In high school he was frustrated by the slow pace and lack of excitement in most teenage fiction, so he started writing his own novel.

It was picked out of a slush pile and published while he was still a teenager, and it soon became an international success. Since then Jack's work has been translated into several languages, shortlisted for many awards and optioned for film and television. His novels—and his enthusiastic presentations at schools and festivals—have gotten thousands of kids hooked on reading.

In the course of his research, Jack has toured morgues and prisons, performed as a street magician and travelled through 11 countries, including Russia. His previous day jobs—in which he met many interesting characters—include fry cook, music teacher, TV salesman, call centre worker and most fun of all, bookseller. He lives on the land of the Ngunnawal people in Canberra, Australia.